A container processing machine typically includes a rotating conveyor element that has many processing stations for processing containers. The conveyor element is very often a rotor that can be driven to rotate about a vertical machine axis.
A variety of processing stations are possible depending on what sort of container processing is contemplated. Examples include: filling elements used in a filling machine for filling containers; sealing elements for use in a sealing machine or closing machine for sealing filled containers with a suitable container closure; inspection elements for use in an inspection machine for inspecting empty containers before filling and/or for inspecting filled containers; labeling elements used in a labeling machine for labeling containers, printing stations used in printing machine for the application of decoration in the form of printed images onto containers; and cleaning heads used in a cleaning machine for cleaning and/or sterilizing containers. With so many processing positions, it is almost inevitable that a few of them will eventually become defective. Containers at these defective positions will not be processed correctly. For example, containers processed at a defective filling station may not be filled to the correct level. Containers processed at a defective cleaning station may not be properly sterilized.
In many cases, it is not economical to shut down production to fix a small number of defective processing stations. After all, doing so will result in considerable lost production. It is more economical to simply discard those containers that have had the misfortune of having been processed by a faulty processing station.